Government (from the Latin gubernare, to steer) is an active agency invested with the power to manage a State. Different forms of government exist: monarchy, oligarchy, democracy (direct or representative), autocracy, and socialism.
A central role in the governing of a country is the constitution, which defines a nation’s laws, and gives powers to its various levels of government. A nation’s constitution also establishes its political structure: whether it be a republic, a constitutional monarchy, an aristocracy, or a totalitarian regime.
Most federal jobs include a significant pension or retirement package, and many government roles offer more job security than you can find in the private sector. Additionally, most government employers have extensive and well-planned career development training programs for their employees. However, a disadvantage of working for the government is that you may not have the same advancement opportunities as you would in the private industry.
Local, state, and federal governments are responsible for providing the services that you use every day, such as police departments and libraries. They raise money through taxes on income and property, and they draft budgets that determine how the revenue will be spent.
During the founding of the United States, there was much debate about what form of government should be established. Eventually, the delegates agreed on a bicameral legislature with a smaller upper chamber and a larger lower chamber, where each state’s representation is determined by population. The system of checks and balances between the legislative, executive, and judicial branches ensures that no one branch has too much power.
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